From: JBRADLEY@HQ.ROW.COM (Bradley, John)
Date: 96-09-10 11:13:41 EDT
The following letter appeared as a half-page ad in the September 9 edition
of The Washington Times. It has been scanned from the original. Please
feel free to redistribute.
Has a similar ad appeared in other major newspapers?
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AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
September 8, 1996
Dear Bishop Browning,
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Devout Episcopalians were shocked by what you, as the Presiding Bishop, told
the Executive Council in Charleston recently, referring to the trial of
Bishop Righter:
"I can say that I not only believe, I know, that it is possible for gay men
and women in committed relationships to be wholesome examples. We see such
examples everyday. Let us remember that Jesus said precious little about
homosexuality, being more concerned with hardness of heart. Would that we
could turn our attention similarly." (E.N.S.)
Let us examine what you said so that your opinions and convictions are
clear.
1. You depart from what recent General Conventions called "Christian
Marriage" and defined as "a physical, spiritual and mystical lifelong union
of a man and a woman in an holy estate instituted by God."
2. You were talking about same-sex partnerships or unions.
3. The expression "committed relationships" suggests that the persons
involved in these same-sex partnerships are faithful to each other. In
reality the clinical literature proves that homosexual men are extremely
promiscuous-because of internal fears that drive them away from women into
homosexuality in search of their masculinity. The typical male homosexual
encounter is transient, more than half the time with a stranger. A study of
156 gay couples, itself conducted by a pair of homosexuals, concluded that
"all couples with a relationship lasting more than five years have
incorporated some provision for outside sexual activity in their
relationships" (cited by Socarides, p 113).
4. As you are aware, the expression, "wholesome example," has been used in
the traditional Anglican Ordinal of both presbyters and bishops. Those to
be presbyters promised to be "wholesome examples and patterns to the flock
of Christ." In the prayer for the newly consecrated bishop was the request
that "he may be a wholesome example in word, in conversation, in love, in
faith, in chastity, and in purity" (1928 BCP). In the 1979 Prayer Book both
the deacon and priest promise to be "a wholesome example" while prayer is
offered that the bishop will be an "effective example."
5. You also claim that "we" (members of the Executive Council or all of
us?) see gay men and women in such "wholesome examples" all the time and all
throughout the Episcopal Church. Presumably you have information that
same-sex unions are common in the Episcopal Church.
6. You do not say so, but you must be aware that what you are stating as
being "wholesome" is not so regarded by the "official" Christian tradition
of teaching on sex and marriage in all the major branches of Christendom.
In fact you are advocating behavior which is a complete reversal of
traditional Christian teaching on relations between the sexes. You are
describing what the Church has called "fornication" (sexual intimacy outside
of marriage) and "sodomy" (unnatural sexual intercourse between two males).
The Church never gave an official blessing to such. Any sexual intimacy
between persons of the same sex has been declared a sin, requiring
repentance and divine forgiveness.
The secular rationale for this Christian doctrine is found in reams of
clinical studies that explain the pathological nature of homosexual
orientation. Homosexuality and its unconscious roots cause psychic pain to
the sufferer that is due far more to internal fears and rage than to
societal opprobrium. The cruel irony is that now clinical psychoanalysis
has found a cure for the disorder, the sufferers have embraced their
perversion and convinced gullible liberals in society that it is traditional
society itself that is ill.
7. Your acceptance and spreading of the homosexual propaganda concerning
sexuality of the well organized gay movement makes sinfulness into holiness,
wickedness into righteousness, and perversion into wholeness. It is as
serious as if you were advocating adultery for people living in so-called
"faithful heterosexual relationships."
To you as a casual observer it may appear that two gay persons are happy
together, but your observation cannot be allowed to usurp the clarity of the
known will of God concerning the one-flesh union of a man and a woman in
holy matrimony.
8. You have accepted the propaganda of the gay movement that Jesus said
"Precious little" about homosexuality and therefore its practice is
presumably not against his will. The fact that Jesus said nothing
specifically against homosexuality speaks against the homosexual cause, not
for it. Jesus was quite able to make his views known about vital issues and
in this case it is obvious that he accepted the clear teaching found in the
Law and the Prophets which he took to be the moral will of Yahweh, his
Father. He came not to destroy but to fulfill the Law of Moses. You, also,
should come not to destroy but to fulfill the Law.
Further, it has been plain to Christians for two millennia that Jesus'
commitment to the doctrine of marriage as the one-flesh union and his
dislike and/or rejection even of marriage after divorce (see Mark 10:2ff.;
Matthew 19:3ff.;Luke 16:18) means that he is against fornication of all
kinds, active homosexuality of all kinds and adultery of all kinds.
9. Certainly you are right that Jesus was against "hardness of heart" and
where it exists there is no room for the fruit of the Holy Spirit to grow
and no place for faith, hope and charity. But certainly you are wrong when
you imply that all those who oppose homosexual practice suffer from
"hardness of heart." The healers in the psychiatric and psychological
professions, who help suffering homosexuals shed their burden, have more
true compassion than those who appease socio-political activists by
affirming their delusions.
10. Hardness of heart includes not only lack of love for other persons, but
also lack of interest in the truth. The homosexual lobbyists have
consistently and desperately discouraged open discussion of the massive
amount of evidence showing that homosexual behavior is:
(a) disease-producing - the average lifespan of the male homosexual is low,
even before AIDS is factored in;
(b) compulsive and addictive-homosexual persons cannot cease behavior that
is killing them;
(c) associated with massive medical costs and other social consequences;
(d) changeable - the Exodus, Courage and other Christian ministries show
substantial success in helping homosexual persons leave the "gay lifestyle"
for what is truly a wholesome Christian example. Clinical studies show
again and again that approximately 30 per cent of homosexuals who enter
protracted psychotherapy or analysis for any reason will change their
orientation to their innate heterosexuality. (For verification see books by
Drs. Charles Socarides, Irving Bieber, Gerard van den Aardweg, and Joseph
Nicolosi.)
Denial of the truth of a destructive behavior ultimately betrays lack of
love for the persons who engage in that behavior, whether compulsively or
willingly.
11. Many people in the ECUSA have concluded that you and your staff are not
interested in open, honest discussion of the matters. You could change that
very easily by holding open discussion with both sides represented, free to
present whatever evidence they saw fit. If you are not willing, then their
conclusions will stand as accurate.
It is the duty of the Presiding Bishop to deplore the sins of fornication,
of adultery and of sodomy committed by clergy and laity. It is also his
duty, in imitation of his Master, to love the sinners and in compassion
bring them to penitence and into the joy of forgiveness -that they may have
life and have it more abundantly in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Devout Episcopalians hope that you will do your duty.
Yours faithfully,
The Rev. Dr. Peter Toon
Mr. & Mrs. William Cheney
The Rev. & Mrs. Dick Kim
Donald P Moriarty
The Rev. Dr. Tim Smith
The Rev. Canon Bill Atwood
The Rev. Michael E. Hess
The Rev. Richard A. Cantrell
David W Virtue
Adam Margrave
Morley S. Stevenson
The Rt. Rev. Terence Kelshaw
The Rt. Rev. William Wantland
The Rt. Rev. Jack Iker
The Rt. Rev. & Mrs. John Howe
The Rt. Rev. Alex Dickson
The Rt. Rev. Maurice Benitez
The Rt. Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison
The Rt. Rev John David Schofield
The Rev. Canon Philip E. P Weeks
The Rev. Neil Lebhar
Eben & Charles Appleton
Hartley Connett
The Rev. Dr. Forrest Mobley
The Rev. Rebecca C. Spanos
The Very. Rev. Dr. John Rodgers Jr.
Dr. & Mrs. William Boerhringer
M. Gardner Moody
The Rev. Jane McDermott
Mary A. Moody
The Rev. Samuel L. Edwards
Mary Jo & Scott Ruthven
Lee A. Buck
The Rev. David H. Roseberry
Mary Terrell Haines (Mrs. Ronald)
David P Mills
The Rev. Alexander M. Greene
The Rev. Dr. John Guest
John H. W Rhein III
[Concerned Clergy and Laity of the Episcopal Church] CCLEC, P.O. BOX 723115,
ATLANTA, GA 31139
1-800-307-7609